The invention relates to transfer means for transferring tubular articles from one rotating conveying unit to a second rotating conveying unit. In particular, it relates to a flexible belt transfer member effecting a transfer of cylindrical articles, such as cigarettes, from a first rotating drum unit to a second rotating drum unit.
In mechanized handling or manufacture of cigarettes, the need commonly arises for an efficient method of transferring cigarettes being transported on the surface of one conveying unit to the surface of a second conveying unit. A standard mode of transfer that has been developed in the art provides a transferee conveying unit with suction apparatus, so that cigarettes can be drawn onto the transporting surface of this transferee unit from a transferor conveyor. A typical example of such prior art apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,234 issued to A. Hinzmann. However, in certain types of handling operations, use of such suction transfer is not feasible. For example, in a standard cigarette air or vacuum-testing device, the utilization of vacuum as the testing criteria precludes the use of vacuum apparatus on the conveying unit.
Current transfer apparatus incorporates a finely machined and calibrated metal arm to perform the operation of intercepting and picking off cigarettes from a transferor conveyor to a transferee conveyor. Unfortunately, slight misalignment of this intercepting arm results in inefficiency. Additionally, wearing of these arms necessitates replacement of this component relatively frequently; and such regular replacements create cost factors.
Hence, a mechanical transfer means is needed which affords efficient transfer of tubular articles from one conveying unit to a second conveying unit. Whereupon, it is an object of this invention to provide a transfer means which efficiently effects the transfer of tubular articles such as cigarettes from one conveying unit to another conveying unit.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a transfer means comprising economical replacement components.
It is another object to provide a transfer means allowing a mechanical transfer of cylindrical objects from one conveying unit to a second conveying unit without the use of suction apparatus.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an efficient and economical transfer means which is readily adaptable to existing cigarette handling apparatus.